World ‘firsts’ – The Surf Newspaper

This sets the pace for newspapers and magazines that deal with the surf worldwide. In Australia, the gates were open for publishers to introduce a new form of genre in publishing patterned after The Surf: the surfing periodicals. The magazines came in all shapes and sizes. The Surf sold for one penny a copy. The object was to “ champion  interest the all the wonderful beaches,” …

Film Greats: The Overlanders a hit! 

A group of cattle shown leading the pack. Pilbara, Western Australia.
 

In 1946, the London press have hailed the Australian film, the overlanders, as a superb production, which has given Australia a place in the film world.

Nearly all the morning newspapers devoted the bulk of their weekly film review space to the movie with no adverse criticism. 

Noted critics used the phrases such as, “superlatively good”, “topnotcher” and “thrilling interest” are typical. 

Prime minister, Mr Ben Chifley, said, “feel that the overlanders will help publicise Australia throughout the world”. 

The preparation and production in The Overlanders took about 5 months, from script to the finished product. But the whole shebang based on an outline by Dora Birtles, and written and directed by Harry Watt, was ready to score big bucks.

It’s a sprawling tale of the outback.
 

Splashed across a screen … the gripping story of The Overlanders.
 

Cast members of the film found themselves trapped in a story that packed a punch.

 The Overlanders is about a man, Harry Watt, who came to Australia in 1944 in search of a story.
Watt asked the capable writer, Dora Birles, to pen an “abridgment” which deals with an epic trek of a band of cattle across Australia, from Wyndham (WA) to Cloncurry (Qld), soon after the war with Japan had begun.

“It is an excellent and a good-humoured epic adventure,” said the star, Chips Rafferty. It is Australian and deserves its international success.

Birtles was ask by Australia reporters to describe her book. She replied: “Cinema writing in reverse.” - FM. From private papers on the film.

The Overlanders - A trailer